Category Archives: Health & Wellness

5 Ways to Beat Phone Fatigue

In a world that’s slowly getting run by mobile phones, it’s not hard to get phone fatigue. Best described as simply getting tired of hearing ringtones, pings, voices and feeling a slight headache you just know when you’ve had enough of your phone, or even the phone of the guy in the next cubicle, or the lady in the queue. Your ears, your brain and your voice-box (larynx) are simply drained out.

Here’s what you should do when it gets unbearable:

Switch your phone off or put it on silent for an hour.

Go outdoors, get some chores done, walk in the park.

Meditate.

Drink plenty of water. Dehydration depletes the energy without us even realising it.

Connect with nature. I like to tend to my plants or play with my pet cats.

The key is becoming aware that we are human after all, and do need to rest and recharge from that which is draining us the most.

Without even realizing it we get addicted to our own thoughts. We start believing them and end up living the thought. Especially negative ones. For me it’s “Oh I can’t lose weight” and I try all kinds of diets and exercise regimes and, well, I don’t lose a gram. Am I giving up too early? No. Am I not focussing on inch loss? No.

I’m simply feeding myself a negative thought. And the results are evident.

And like white sugar and refined flour, negative thought patterns are toxic. It’s time to replace them with superfoods. Superthoughts. Thoughts that are inherently positive, even if we don’t believe in their goodness at first, but sooner or later we do. Studies have revealed that if we repeat a positive thought to ourselves, it slowly embeds itself into our brain and eventually becomes our reality.

The key to detox is to pay attention to a self sabotaging thought pattern or a thought that’s not helping anyone. The minute you find yourself thinking “Oh I can never lose weight” immediately replace it with “Losing weight is easy for me” At first it will sound fake, almost unreal but as your brain starts hearing it over and over again. It will happen with a few weeks of conscious practice. Scientists say it takes 21 days of repeated effort for something to become a practice. And the results are beginning to trickle in. I’ve lost a kilogram!

Tips for Detox

Pay attention to your thoughts. Identify just one negative thought pattern. It could be related to yourself, your relationships or even the external world. Everytime the thought pops up, replace it consciously with a positive though. Or repeat it like an affirmation. Practice for 21 days until it happens automatically. Even if it sounds unbelievable try it.

If these phrases sound familiar then you are not alone. Why does this happen?

Your intention to meditation is not defined. Don’t meditate because your friend told you to or you read it was a great way to beat anxiety. Meditate because you want to.

Your expectations are way too high. You cannot experience a state of permanent bliss and concentrate for 18 hours a day – not only is it impossible if you are working, are married or have children, it is a state achieved by those who have been meditating for decades. But when you slow down and take out just a few minutes each day for quiet reflection you will slowly begin to find that peace.

You’re pressurising yourself to find peace. You can’t find quiet if you are shouting inside. Meditation is not a rigorous ‘must do, must get” experience, it’s a state of being, learning to let go and to be present.

You want instant results. Your anxiety, your past, your hurts are not going to dissolve away immediately. Meditation means taking out a little time for yourself everyday, without keeping score, without comparing. Just look it like pouring a little positive energy inside yourself every day.

Too many distractions. Make a quiet time for meditation each day and do keep the phone off and remind the kids not to interrupt you. When there are too many distractions, meditation becomes impossible and probably the most popular reason why people quit.

Remember meditation is all about releasing the pressure and there should be no stress around it. If you’re forcing yourself to close your eyes and focus on your breath while feeling restless and cranky sitting in the same pose, then it may be time for you to try another form of meditation, or try at another time. And yes, initially it is a struggle but if you are patient and persistent, the results are truly wonderful.

You’re doing too many things at once and everything is important. What happens? You’re putting your mind and body under stress and if you’re not feeling it in your body (rapid heartbeat, shoulder pain) you’re expressing it (irritability, fears of not being able to complete things on time) Whatever is happening is happening and you cannot take your mind off the discomfort. Being overwhelmed is part of anxiety and can be easily controlled before it gets too much to handle.

Here how:-

1. Accept that you have tons to do. Make a list. Calmly tell yourself to focus on the priority items.

2. Take deep breaths, knowing that you are capable of handling whatever comes your way, calmly and efficiently. Meditate with self belief.

3. Exercise. The best way to release endorphins and declutter your brain.

4. Distract yourself temporarily, do something to relax yourself – listen to music, talk to a friend, have a long bath.

5. Healing crystals like Blue Lace Agate, Rose Quartz, Aquamarine and even Black tourmaline help soothe and ground you – they can be worn as jewellery or held in your palm while meditating or breathing deeply. Remember to wash your healing crystals after every use.

6. Say no to the time wasters and unecessary demands put on you. Setting boundaries allows you to focus on yourself and bringing back that calm.

Sleep deprived and cranky? Just light a few sticks of lavender incense in your bedroom in the evening and feel your troubles literally float away with the heady smoke. Want to create a romantic mood for a special meal at home – reach out for some rose incense to infuse the environment with pure and positive thoughts. And if you just want to clear your mind of the clutter and the confusion get yourself some sticks of Lemon or Orange to uplift and energise you.

That’s just a few examples of how incense works. The study of incense is the basis of Aromatherapy, a popular form of alternative healing and beauty treatment today.

Incense has been universally accepted as the purifier and is used across the world as part of religious ceremonies as well as medical healing.

In India, incense was and is used daily in all temples and rituals at home to sanctify devotions, where as in China incense is burned to purify and rid the environment of all negative spirits. Mexicans used incense to induce trance like states during rituals, Native Americans and Wiccans cleanse environments and human auras by smudging with bundles of aromatic herbs like white sage. the Greeks and Romans also used essential oils and fragrant herbs in all aspects of their daily lives, and many of their practices were learned from the Egyptians and Mesopotamians who were without doubt, the absolute masters in the Art of “Aromatherapy”.

Incense is believed to cleanse the environment of negative vibrations, and also has an extraordinary effect of soothing the mind. Just like a candle brings light to a dark room, the aromatic effect of incense offers tranquility to our senses. If used during meditation, incense is said to dissipate the negative energy. Burning of incense helps to create a positive state of mind and helps condition the mind to associate the typical fragrance with a positive and calm mind.

According to Dr. K. L. Sheshagiri Rao, Chief Editor of the Encyclopedia of Hinduism and Professor Emeritus at the University of Virginia, incense is supposed to have a calming effect on the mind. In particular, jasmine and sandalwood scents are supposed to bring out a peaceful mindset

Call it a feel good fix, incense works. Some fragrances like sandalwood have properties calm and purify, while citrus based ones are generally thought to be uplifting and clarifying. While trying out some home fragrances, you can burn 2-3 different kinds of incense together, or even opt for essential oil blends to burn to help you.

Here are a few favourites for use in the following purposes/conditions

Meditation

To aid in meditation, nothing beats the sweet aromatic smoke of sandalwood. However, if you prefer the aroma of frankincense, rose, jasmine, bergamot and geranium

Stress Relief

Tension and stress are major problems in today’s society and you can use a combination of incense and even blend the fragrances as essential oils. Good choices would include Lavender (I recommend my clients not only burn incense sticks of this delightfully soothing floral fragrance, but also opt for all personal care products in this smell to help with stress relief), Sandalwood for those who prefer a heavier aroma, Lemon, Mandarin, Lemon grass, clarysage and patchouli.

Love & Harmony

Harmony is essential to life and if you feel there have been too many disagreements lately or simply an accumulation of negative thoughts, and what could be better than burning a few sticks of the following incense to bring a harmony? Choose Rose, Peppermint, Strawberry, Gardenia, Frankincense, Myrhh and Jasmine.

Cleansing and Purifying

During the rainy season, citronella and pine works well to ward away the mosquitoes and bugs. Pine is a popular disinfectant in essential oils and is known to dissipate the germs in the air.

Easily available and highly affordable, incense can be used for a variety of things, and can be stored for long durations without any risk of losing their fragrance.

So the next time you just want a soothing fix – reach out for an incense stick and allow its smoke to uplift you.

Crying has come naturally to us since the day we were born. When we were infants, we bawled when we were hungry, sleepy, tired, frustrated, dirty, you name it. As we grew a little older, our tears rolled when we felt ignored, scared, reprimanded by adults, or we fell down. The tears didn’t last for too long, and within a few minutes we were back to our normal active, curious, childlike selves.

But what happened as we grew older? We learnt to repress our emotions. Not show our disappointment or pain so easily. We became big boys and big girls, and our parents and teachers reminded us again and again to stop crying over this or that and to be brave.

But fact of the matter is we all have to cry even as adults at some point or the other in our lives. And scientists have discovered that those who have a good cry periodically actually lead healthier lives.

Crying is actually beneficial for your mind, body and soul. Studies have revealed the following benefits of tears:

1. Release tension and the toxins of emotional stresses from the body. After a good bawl, don’t we all feel a little lighter?
2. Tears which flow with emotion actually contain higher amounts of protein and beta endorphin – natural pain relievers. Tears also kill bacteria, lubricate our eyes and help us see better.
3. Those who cry more often than others report less physical illnesses than those who keep it inside. Suppressing sad feelings leads to a build up of stress in the body resulting in disease.
4. Crying aids inner calm and peace. We can view the situation more clearly and calmly after a good session.

Being strong and brave is not about suppression of emotions. It’s about clarity, willingness to face whatever life offers our way. And knowing the power of release. So the next time you feel the tears well up, go get the box of tissues and cry your heart out. You’ll feel better in more ways than one.

We’ve all had mornings where we’ve either woken up too early or not had a good night’s sleep. And we all know what that feels like. Here’s what you could do if the crankiness lingers on too long, or begins to feel unpleasant.

Avoid interacting with people while cranky. Those who know you well enough will understand and keep a distance. If your child decides to suddenly bombard you with demands gently explain to him or her that you need a little time out to find your calm and hopefully he/she will understand.

Time Out. Yes just concentrate on doing things which relax you. I find soothing music helps take the edge off a cranky morning within minutes. Sometimes a brisk walk or a jog helps release the energy.

Help someone who’s struggling with a difficult time. It could be an encouraging message. A prayer. A plan to meet up. Just step into their shoes. Empathy between two people brings positive energy almost instantly.

Express yourself. Write out what’s bothering you. Doodle or colour. The act of expression releases pent up feelings in a safe and peaceful way.

Bergamot, Ylang Ylang and Orange are a few essential oils you can burn in the room or apply to your pulse points for a sense of calm and wellbeing.

Remember crankiness doesn’t last. And if we handle it with conscious awareness, the feelings do eventually subside and peace reigns again.

Every day and in every way we are exposing our bodies and minds to toxins in our lives. Whether it is the polluted air we breathe. Or the chemical preservatives in the convenient food we ingest. The contaminants in water. And unknown to many, the emotions we suppress, the negative thoughts we push away and the energies we absorb from negative environments. Toxins take a toll on our bodies and minds. Stress, diet and the environment being the primary killers. And it becomes imperative to detoxify our minds and bodies regularly.

Detoxification is simply our body working to eliminate and neutralize the toxins we may have collected, bringing ourselves back to balance. Traditionally used for alcohol or drugs, today detoxes are closely associated with weight loss diets, and a number of techniques are used by nature cure clinics, yoga centres, spas, fitness centres and alternative healing practitioners.

Your body is the best indicator for when you need a detox. If you feel any of the following symptoms, you may like to ask your doctor if its time for some internal cleansing.

Constant tiredness, sluggishness and bloating.

Difficulty focusing or concentrating on daily chores.

Low immunity, constantly catching a cold.

Bad breath or body odour from poor diet, smoking, alcohol

Irregular bowel movements

Allergies to certain foods

Recurring skin ailments

Irritability,depression, pessimism

Most people who have been through a process of detoxification feel lighter, healthier and more energetic after a course apart from feeling clearer, more peaceful and able to concentrate better. Best done under the supervision of experts it is always advisable to consult your doctor before trying a therapy or changing your diet.

A number of detoxification programmes are available with health centres – always check out the various options available and ensure it suits your medical conditions. Some of them include:

Detox diets range from fasting to simply having juices, milk, fruits to more specialized ones available at weight loss clinics, spas. Do check what suits you before trying out a diet and make sure to consult your doctor.

Yogic breathing helps clear carbon dioxide from the lungs and stimulates the digestive organs. Asanas with their focus on stretching and compressing the body help cleanse the body.

A number of supplements help in detox which are made from herbs and fruits, however it is best to use them under medical supervision.

Colon cleansing.

Whether you opt for a fully body detox or for organ specific cleansing make sure you research your choice thoroughly to make sure it agrees with your system and do take the advice your doctor.